Wrestling with Issues and Ideas in politics, the law, education, and other stuff.

Monday, January 10, 2011

Paul Krugman Is an Idiot

Generally, that is hard for me to say about anyone, most particuarly someone who has won a Nobel Prize for something other than the Peace Prize, but with his latest little diatribe, found here, I have no choice but to call Krugman an idiot and most importantly an influential idiot.

In the wake of the shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and Judge John Roll and the other men, women and girls who lost their life, Krugman is, like most media outlets, blaming the conservatives and/or Tea Party (I am not sure which). So let's take a look at what Krugman has to write--about the right.

Last spring Politico.com reported on a surge in threats against members of Congress, which were already up by 300 percent.

Now that little gem comes with absolutely no link or any citation other than a general time frame and website--hardly the kind of documentation that a Nobel Laureate should be engaged in. The New York Times editors didn't even provide a link (but they did find and include a link to a Homeland Security report about right-wing extremism and one of Krugman's own pieces about from 2008 about the campaign.) I have no idea if threats to members of Congress have increased 300 percent, but I do know this. If you have 10 threats in one year and 40 threats the next year, that is a 300 percent increase. While every threat is of concern, 40 isn't really all that much. By the way if you go to Politico.com and run a search on "Threats," "Threats of violence" or "Threats to Congress" in teh time of Feb 1, 2010 to August 1, 2010, you don't get any reports of a 300 percent increase in the number of threats to Congress.

The point is that there’s room in a democracy for people who ridicule and denounce those who disagree with them; there isn’t any place for eliminationist rhetoric, for suggestions that those on the other side of a debate must be removed from that debate by whatever means necessary.

OK so far. Pretty fairly balanced. Both parties have been guilty in the past of uncivil discourse (Krugman included). There isn't any place in civil politics for the kind of vitriol that sometimes passes for political discussion. So Krugman is okay here.

And it’s the saturation of our political discourse — and especially our airwaves — with eliminationist rhetoric that lies behind the rising tide of violence.

Here's where start seeing the punch coming. "Espcially our airwaves" is Krugman speak for conservative talk radio and to a lesser extent cable shows. The fact is that conservative talk radio dominates the airwaves because it connects to people in their everyday lives. Air America sucked because it didn't entertain or enlighten people or make them think. I would welcome more liberal shows, but they don't last because they can't draw an audience, which means they can't draw advertisers which is necessary to make money. But I digress.

Where’s that toxic rhetoric coming from? Let’s not make a false pretense of balance: it’s coming, overwhelmingly, from the right. It’s hard to imagine a Democratic member of Congress urging constituents to be “armed and dangerous” without being ostracized; but Representative Michele Bachmann, who did just that, is a rising star in the G.O.P.

And there’s a huge contrast in the media. Listen to Rachel Maddow or Keith Olbermann, and you’ll hear a lot of caustic remarks and mockery aimed at Republicans. But you won’t hear jokes about shooting government officials or beheading a journalist at The Washington Post. Listen to Glenn Beck or Bill O’Reilly, and you will.

And BAM!! There's the punch. According to Krugman (and the rest of his leftist elitists mates), Rep. Giffords lies in a hospital and families are burying loved ones because of Michelle Bachman or Sarah Palin or Glenn Beck or Rush Limbaugh. Make no mistake, that is exactly what Paul Krugman wants you to believe. Some crackpot goes a-shootin and it is the fault of the political right.

Of course, the political left would never do such a thing. Nope, Keith Olberman would never says someon is the worst person in the world. Oh, wait. The political left would never compare a conservative leader with Hitler....oh, wait--sorry. The political left would never forget that they regularly get called on the carpet for excessive vitriol. Oops, forgot this little bit. No the left doesn't hate.

Are we as a nation politically divided. Yep. Is there too much hate in our political discourse--maybe. But let's not forget, Mr. Krugman, it takes two sides to have a fight and perhaps it would behoove you to put those vaunted academic skills to use a d do a little research before spraying around such unsupported statements as leftist commentators would never spew hate speech.

I have no choice (you always have a choice.)but to call Krugman an idiot. those on the other side of a debate must be removed from that debate by whatever means necessary. (exactly what Palin, Engle and others did – suggest that others “be removed.”)

Both parties have been guilty in the past of uncivil discourse.(Here is where YOU need to cite examples and provide links.) "There isn't any place in civil politics for the kind of vitriol that sometimes passes for political discussion." Krugman"Espcially our airwaves" is Krugman speak for conservative talk radio and to a lesser extent cable shows. The fact (no fact) is that conservative talk radio dominates the airwaves because it connects to people in their everyday lives. Air America sucked because it didn't entertain or enlighten people or make them think. I would welcome more liberal shows, but they don't last because they can't draw an audience, which means they can't draw advertisers necessary to make money. (flawed reasoning - not fact) But I digress (yes, to Neanderthal status).

(It won’t take much research to uncover the hate/fearMongering by Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, et.al. to prove what Krugman is saying. (The “reasons” you cited for failure of Air America is ludicrous because it isn’t true but you used an excellent descriptor for why The Drugster and psychotic Beck stay on – ENTERTAINMENT – but their brand of such is dangerous and if you can’t see a link there is something seriously wrong with your eyesight!)

Where’s that toxic rhetoric coming from? Let’s not make a false pretense of balance: it’s coming, ostracized; but Representative Michele Bachmann, who did just that, is a rising star in the G.O.P. (Bachmann is an idiot and has no place legislating at all. Define “star.” Most intelligent people regard her as a cartoon character.)

Listen to Rachel Maddow or Keith Olbermann, and you’ll hear a lot of caustic remarks and mockery aimed at Reps. (RICHLY DESERVED!) But you won’t hear jokes about shooting government officials or beheading a journalist at The Washington Post. Listen to Glenn Beck or Bill O’Reilly, and you will. (Sounds like you are making my Lefty point here.)

According to Krugman Rep. Giffords lies in a hospital and families are burying loved ones because of Michelle Bachman or Sarah Palin or Glenn Beck or Rush Limbaugh. Make no mistake, that is exactly what Paul Krugman wants you to believe. (You can't know his intent!) (This is not a religion! The evidence of egregious behavior by the Radical Right is abundant! Just because youDon’t want to look into that doesn’t make your ramblings “right,” pardon the pun.)

Of course, the political left would never do such a thing. Nope, Keith Olberman would never says someone is the worst person in the world. (Surely you know how to separate opinion [Keith’s] from evidence [video].) The political left would never compare a conservative leader with Hitler... The political left would never forget that they regularly get called on the carpet for excessive vitriol. suggestion for yourself.)

do a little research (you don’t see the Democrats toting guns do you and you don’t see their proponents buying guns to “exercise their Constitutional Rights.”)

Let no one say that I don't allow non-spam comments that I don't agree with, but Laura, you have not differentiated a case here.

First, your assertion that Keith Olberman never called anyone the worst person in the world is rediculous, it was a regular feature on his MSNBC show. You can look up YouTube videos at this link: http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=olbermann+worst+person&aq=2

Second, there are lots of Democrats who believe in the Second Amendment right to bear arms, including a fairly long list of Congressional Democrats. In 2010, the NRA supported 64 Democratic candidates of Congress. Source: http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/10/08/nra-endorses-candidates-on-both-sides-frustrating-gop/

As for the political left not comparing the right to Nazis, I give you Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN) who compared Republicans to Nazis--just days after the shooting on Rep. Giffords. http://blogs.abcnews.com/thenote/2011/01/abc-news-jonathan-karl-reports-the-newfound-civility-didnt-last-long-political-rhetoric-in-congress-doesnt-get-much.html

So Laura, please come back when you have better evidence to support your conclusions. Until then, you comments and this one will stand as evidence that the Left is good at asserting a case, but very poor in proving one.

Laura may be the morally bankrupt liar, not that Krugman isn't (he is). To say that Keith Olbermann is somehow an example for proper TV/radio punditry is perhaps the dumbest (or most morally bankrupt) thing I've ever heard. Olbermann's vitriol is the stuff of legend, and undoubtedly lead to his eventual, and blessed, firing. The thing about the left is, they seem to not hear the vile spew from their own mouths, the hitler references et al. Or, it's ok for them, but not for anyone else. Perhaps this is the way they "keep it real", by borrowing a rhetorical conceit from the hip hop world.

Krugman is a joke, well documented, and NYT or not, most adult people recognize a smarmy silver-spooned urchin when they read one....

Laura may be the morally bankrupt liar, not that Krugman isn't (he is). To say that Keith Olbermann is somehow an example for proper TV/radio punditry is perhaps the dumbest (or most morally bankrupt) thing I've ever heard. Olbermann's vitriol is the stuff of legend, and undoubtedly lead to his eventual, and blessed, firing. The thing about the left is, they seem to not hear the vile spew from their own mouths, the hitler references et al. Or, it's ok for them, but not for anyone else. Perhaps this is the way they "keep it real", by borrowing a rhetorical conceit from the hip hop world.

Krugman is a joke, well documented, and NYT or not, most adult people recognize a smarmy silver-spooned urchin when they read one....

Paul Krugman in my opinion has done more financial damage to the US and California than is imaginable. If fact, I beleive he has done more financial damage than any person in the history of the world,..just wait and watch. With Obama giving us 3.7 years of increasing war (Nobel peace prize winner) I wonder if Norway is in fact deliberately out to do damage to the US.

About Me

A husband, a father, a lawyer, a HUGE soccer fan and a guy who is pursuing happiness and sometimes catch it. I care about politics, but not so much that I would consider running for office, I care about education because I don't think we are doing a very good job on behalf of our kids. What else? When in doubt, you can find me playing or watching soccer, listening to music or reading.